Successive
by trollnexus
Summary: The first day of the year is a time for new beginnings.


**Title**: Successive

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Harry Potter or make money off of writing this.

**Pairings**: Draco/Harry

**Rating**: T

**Warnings**: Harry and Draco are in their 60's. Also, this is really just fluff.

**Summary**: The first day of the year is a time for new beginnings.

**Word Count**: 1,435

**Author's Note**: This was written for Round 11 of the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition, Season 2.

This round, we had to write a story based in the year matching the score we had when the round first started. Being the awesome Falcons that we are, we had 2,041 points. Therefore, this story is set in the year 2041.

.x.x.

_Successive_

"And again, Happy New Year, Dad," said James as he prepared to enter the Floo.

Harry smiled at his son, who despite his reddish hair was looking more and more like his namesake each day. Or, well, an older version of his namesake, had the elder James lived longer, he supposed.

"Get home safe, and don't be a stranger, you hear? I do want to see my grandkids more often."

James grinned and shook his head, and Harry couldn't help but grin back at the sight of the trademark Potter smile. "It's my New Year resolution to visit you at least once a week."

Harry huffed. "Well, you know what they say about New Year resolutions…"

James simply laughed and waved before entering the Floo.

Harry waved back, watching his retreating form. Then he sighed and cast a _Tempus_ as the flames returned to their usual orange hue. It was 3am; James had been the last guest at their party to return home, having stuck around even after his wife left to put the children in bed.

He stretched and turned around, giving the living room a cursory look. The guests had been good about cleaning up after themselves and taking home any extra food, so there really wasn't much to sort out. He smiled at the thought of Hermione nagging everyone to do their part; if there was anything she absolutely could not abide, it was leaving behind even one dirty plate. Now that house-elves were outlawed, she was even more insistent on people cleaning up after themselves. It was nice being on this end of it; he had spent many parties in the past grumbling as she made him pick up Ron's crumbs whenever Ron managed to slip away.

Deciding that taking down the decorations could wait until at least sunrise, he made his way to the bedroom, expecting to just change into his sleeping robes and fall into bed with Draco.

When he reached the bedroom, however, the bed was empty, the sheets still neatly tucked in without a wrinkle in sight.

He shook his head, figuring that Draco probably couldn't sleep and was out on the balcony.

A few steps later and he found that he was right. He smiled; it was always good to be right.

"Nice night out," he commented casually as he sat down on the loveseat next to Draco.

It was a new moon, so there was no moonlight, but despite this Draco's hair seemed to shine. Harry envied that hair, sometimes; one couldn't tell if it was silver or just a really bright blond. Harry's hair, on the other hand, left no doubt that he was aging. Draco liked to tease that he had "salt and pepper hair," but honestly Harry found the term too cute to describe the ashen mess on his scalp.

Draco turned to look at him for a moment before looking back at the night sky. "It's hard to see the stars, these days."

Harry shrugged. "Maybe it's easier to see them back at the Manor. Less artificial light."

"Perhaps."

Harry gently draped his arm around Draco's shoulders, making sure not to pull on him. Possessive clutching was for the young people; now he didn't want to force Draco to bend his spine in an uncomfortable position. He had found over the years that Draco was more likely to stay if he was comfortable.

"Do you remember how the sky looked at that Ministry party?" Harry asked, turning to look at him.

Draco rolled his eyes and affected a haughty tone. "I haven't the slightest idea which party you are talking about. We have attended countless Ministry parties, each one as pompous as the last."

"Oh, come on. You know which party I'm talking about." Harry grinned at him, expecting him to say the next line, which would be something like, _Oh, that one. Where I got pissed drunk and you supposedly fell in love with me. How could I ever forget, especially when you never stop nattering about it?_

The line never came, however. Instead, Draco suddenly turned and kissed him.

Harry's eyes widened, but he soon wrapped his arms around him, pressing his lips more firmly against his. There had been a time when a sudden kiss like this would immediately lead to tonguing and then a romp in bed, but as Harry closed his eyes and tilted his head, he was happy to just hold Draco close and remind himself that he was here, that he wasn't leaving in the faint light of dawn.

Draco was the one to pull his body away first, but he still gave Harry a few pecks on his lips and then his cheek. Harry blushed as his skin tingled; he could still feel Draco's soft lips there.

Draco rested his forehead against Harry's, and Harry noted that his grey eyes still shone after all these years, like stars, except without light pollution to drown them out.

"Harry, I don't remember what the damn sky looked like at that party. I don't even remember the occasion or why we were there—"

"It was New Year's—"

Draco pressed his finger against Harry's lips and continued. "All I remember is that I was depressed, I saw you, and then for one glorious night I wasn't. The sky? I was busy looking at that bird's nest you call hair and probably insulting it within an inch of my life."

Harry laughed and spoke against the finger. "Yes. There was that."

"I still don't know, to this day, why you put up with me. You can explain it all you want with your sappy words—"

"Sappy? More like sarcastic—"

"Sappiness badly disguised as sarcasm," he conceded. "Anyway. You can say all you want about it, but I will still marvel at the fact that you stuck with me. Even when I woke up next to you the next morning and screamed bloody murder."

Harry winced at the memory. "I never knew you could get so shrill. And then I was sort of disappointed that you weren't as shrill the night before."

Draco laughed. "You can't always get what you want, Potter."

"As you've reminded me many times before. But let me remind you that you don't always get what you want, either, _Malfoy_." After all, if Draco was going to play the last names game, Harry might as well play along.

"Don't I know it. I will never live down that time your daughter kicked my shin and called me a 'bad man,' just because…"

Draco trailed off, and Harry understood why. It had been a bad time, and Lily had seen through Harry's attempts to pretend everything was okay. Harry grabbed Draco's hand and squeezed it.

"Stop that," Draco scolded distractedly. "You'll make it even more wrinkled."

Harry ignored him and laced their fingers together, and Draco squeezed back despite his words. Draco's hand wasn't that wrinkled, anyway, thanks to all the creams he applied to it.

"Let's not dwell on those times, shall we? We were both pricks. End of."

Draco shook his head. "I was the bigger prick."

"Always have to show off," Harry muttered. Draco smacked him playfully on the shoulder, and Harry accepted it, smiling. "Look, it's the new year. We made it. Despite what everyone else thought, despite the times we bollixed it up, we're still here, aren't we?"

"Indeed. And I think maybe your spawn like me by now. They at least tolerate me, anyway."

"Mhm. And Scorpius finally stopped trying to poison my food."

Draco snorted. "It wasn't _poison_. He just wanted to see steam come out of your ears, that's all."

"Regardless, I'm glad I had the sense to cast a detection charm."

"That's why you're Head Auror."

"Oh, hush. You know you like the uniform."

Draco's eyes narrowed, and he leaned even closer. "I like the _Incarcerous _even more."

Harry grinned and kissed his forehead. "Could you handle that now, old man?"

"Please. I'm only middle-aged by wizarding standards."

Harry got up and pulled him towards the bedroom, laughing.

Before they crossed the threshold, though, Draco pulled him the other direction, pointing out towards the sky.

"Look, Harry!"

A few clouds must have shifted, because suddenly Harry could see a beautiful cluster of stars tucked in a corner of the sky. He had no idea what constellation it was, but it was still a pretty sight.

Draco leaned in and kissed him while he was distracted. "Happy New Year, Harry."

Harry hugged him. "Happy New Year. And here's to many more in our future."


End file.
